2013 chevrolet traverse Reviews and News

This is Automobile Magazine's Family Crossover Comparo, our comparison test of the kind of vehicle that you see during America's summer vacation, the three-row family crossover.

As we noted in our Day One introduction, we've gathered eight of the best all-wheel-drive, seven-passenger family crossovers, and we're going to sort them out. We've driven all of them at the same time on the same roads, and we've made our notes and organized our facts and then argued about the results.

The way we see it, these are the best family crossovers available in America right now. We've done our best to ensure that our test vehicles represent a useful level of features -- nicely equipped, as they say -- yet don't cost too much. Given the practical realities of acquiring so many test vehicles at the same time, they aren't all priced exactly the same, but we've done our best.

To make our comparisons as direct as we can, we've organized a different kind of testing scheme. Yesterday, we presented an accounting of four vehicles in two head-to-head matchups. Today, we're doing the same thing, matching four vehicles and knocking two of them out of contention. The winning vehicles from today and yesterday will go head-to-head in a Final Four comparison on Thursday, and we will declare the winner on Friday.

Today the competition continues with these randomly selected match-ups:

2013 Chevrolet Traverse vs. 2013 Mazda CX-9

2013 Nissan Pathfinder vs. 2013 Toyota Highlander

2013 Chevrolet Traverse vs. 2013 Mazda CX-9

2013 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD

Although it has had as many mild facelifts as a Hollywood housewife, the Mazda CX-9 hasn't changed much since it went on sale some six years ago. Not that it has had to, since we called it "one of the best-handling big crossovers on the market" when it became a 2008 Automobile Magazine All-Star.

The 2013 Mazda CX-9 has not changed much since then because, like a shark, the CX-9 has not had to evolve to remain at the top of the food chain. Even so, it is now reasserting itself among the crossover competition with its most significant refresh to date (even though calling it "significant" is generous). The most noticeable changes can be seen on the front fascia, where Mazda tweaked the grille, headlights, and ducts. Otherwise, it's business as usual.

Doing the Utility Thing
The CX-9 still has 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space when all the seats are upright. With both the second- and third-row seats folded flat, you're looking at 100.7 cubic feet of cargo space. This may seem like a lot, but the cargo area feels as long and as narrow as a hotel hallway, so packing isn't easy. Sitting in the third-row seat is also a tight fit, even for grade-schoolers.

So, while the 2013 CX-9 doesn't do the functional thing as well as it might, it still drives well. Calling the seven-passenger, all-wheel-drive Mazda "sporty" is a stretch, but it's an apt term when you compare it to the company it keeps. The 4552-pound CX-9's suspension is damped well. The steering is reassuringly direct -- if you were to drive a minivan for comparison, it would feel like you're steering an elephant with its ears. Even so, when you arc the CX-9 through a tight corner, you know you're in a seven-passenger crossover, not a Miata. Things this big don't rock; they roll.

Drive Away for Less
Regardless, the 2013 Mazda CX-9 feels like a much smaller vehicle than it is. You get that vibe from the driver's seat, too. Part of the reason might be the 3.5-liter V-6 with its output of 273 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, which works well with a six-speed automatic transmission that changes ratios pretty frequently to make the most of the power. It gets 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway.

The Mazda CX-9 also remains a great value. The price for this Grand Touring model is $39,605, and it has a long list of standard luxury features, such as 20-inch wheels, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic xenon headlights, automatic tri-zone climate control, a rearview camera, a blind-spot monitoring system, and keyless entry and ignition.

So there you have it: the 2013 Mazda CX-9 is a lot of the same with a touch of new. Put another way, it is exactly what the Mazda CX-9 needs to stay relevant. -- Christopher Nelson

2013 Chevrolet Traverse AWD 2LT

The Chevrolet Traverse is another crossover that's trying to stay relevant. The Traverse helped dig GM out of the grave it buried itself in four years ago, yet what has the Traverse received in the way of thanks? It wasn't until the introduction of the 2013 Traverse that this seven-passenger, all-wheel-drive crossover received an overdue allotment of updates.

The first thing you'll notice is that the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse is much prettier than its predecessor. Chevy massaged every inch of the Traverse's sheetmetal, a task we think was well worth the investment. The Chevy version of GM's big crossover also has received some major interior upgrades, including a 6.5-inch touchscreen interface and a rearview camera as standard equipment.

Big Space, Lots of Stuff
This Traverse has a long list of standard luxury equipment, comparable to those in the Mazda CX-9, but with two major differences. The Chevy has a power liftgate and remote start, features that Asian-label crossovers are only just beginning to include. Nevertheless, if you get crazy with the options sheet, the Traverse 2LT with navigation becomes a $40,000 vehicle. Oh, and you want leather-trimmed first- and second-row seats? You're quickly on your way to our test vehicle's price of $42,880.

In a way, the Traverse also has a similar powertrain to the CX-9. The single-exhaust 3.6-liter V-6 makes 281 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque, and it works through a six-speed automatic to deliver 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway. It also feels a bit dated in its performance, just like the Mazda V-6. That said, it has enough power to coax this 4956-pound dreadnought out of the harbor, and the six-speed automatic transmission changes gears quietly and smoothly. Even so, we're not sure that the package is up to carrying everything you need for a full summer vacation at the lake, even with its tow rating of 5200 pounds.

Both the 2013 Traverse and the 2013 CX-9 have nicely appointed interiors, with comfortable seats, good materials, and fine build quality. The cabins feel much different, however. The CX-9 feels like a sports car that's been pumped up like a balloon to become a passenger vehicle, whereas the Traverse feels exactly how you'd expect a three-row crossover to feel. There's enough natural light coming in the windows to make all three rows feel spacious, and you're never squeezed into a seat that's in desperate need of more elbow room -- plus there's cargo space besides.

Do Sales Matter?
The Chevrolet Traverse also walks all over the CX-9 in the popular vote. Consider that Chevrolet sold almost 200,000 examples of the Traverse in 2011 and 2012 combined, while Mazda sold only a third as many CX-9s in the same time period.

Despite the fact that the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse excels over the 2013 Mazda CX-9 in so many practical categories that relate to utility and comfort, the Mazda has a performance margin over the Traverse in every dynamic respect. We've found that driving makes a difference not only in safe maneuverability around town but also secure maneuverability in those remote places where vacation travel takes you. It's this factor, which is all-important to Automobile Magazine, that makes the Mazda CX-9 the winner in this match-up. -- Christopher Nelson

Winner: 2013 Mazda CX-9

2013 Nissan Pathfinder vs. 2013 Toyota Highlander

2013 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD

The Nissan Pathfinder has been like an aging rock star struggling for relevance. One of the progenitors of the SUV craze, it fell to the wayside as the segment evolved. But now the all-new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder has found itself some new managers and is aiming for the top of the charts.

Much like the opening lines of a catchy pop song, the Pathfinder's styling is at once fresh and a little familiar. A flowing Coke-bottle shape clearly communicates that this is now a unibody, carlike crossover rather than a body-on-frame truck. Nissan designers also resisted their weirder impulses (reference the Cube, Juke, and Murano CrossCabriolet) and instead went for what one of us describes as "proportional and clean" and another thinks is "anonymously attractive."

Living the Crossover Life
The interior likewise aims for the segment's sweet spot. First- and second-row passengers have acres of space. The third row feels more hospitable than the specifications (30.7 inches of legroom) would suggest. "The optional moonroof helps brighten things back there," notes deputy editor Joe DeMatio.

Nissan is more adventurous with interior materials than most mainstream brands. Berber-weave floor mats and a nicely grained, almond-color dash warm up the cabin and further distance this crossover from its SUV forerunner. It's also worth noting that the materials are mostly the same hard plastics that we knock in competitors like the Toyota Highlander; Nissan's designers deserve credit for figuring out how to work with the cheap stuff in an impressive way. At $44,395, you pay for such details, of course.

Power with Responsibility
We thought Nissan's notoriously noisy 3.5-liter V-6 and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) would be a match made in hell. In fact, the engine and transmission get along reasonably well. The V-6's growl signifies 260 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque, and it sounds infinitely better than the buzzy four-cylinders we typically associate with CVTs. It's hard to argue with the results, since the Pathfinder's fuel-economy rating of 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway edges out the rest of the pack. "Pretty impressive for a large, four-wheel-drive crossover," notes DeMatio.

In driving environments representative of the typical crossover experience -- say on the freeway or in the parking lot at Chuck E. Cheese -- we enjoyed the Pathfinder's linear steering and comfortable ride. Even so, the 4471-pound crossover had a tough time hiding its size when pushed in corners.

Some of our more aged, tenured editors wistfully recalled what a sensation the original Nissan Pathfinder had been in the 1990s, when its snappy made-in-America design set it apart from mainstream trucks. Today's 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, like most of the pop songs on the radio in this new century, is polished and professional, if not particularly memorable. Yet, just as teens no longer line up to listen to rockabilly, most American families no longer want to drive around the suburbs in a truck. - David Zenlea

2013 Toyota Highlander Limited V6

The 2013 Toyota Highlander is in many respects the grand dame of this segment. Toyota started offering a third row in the Highlander back in 2004 to make it an alternative to minivans and bulky, full-size SUVs. The second-generation model introduced in 2008 remains a strong seller that we simply can't ignore, even though an all-new version (based on the Camry, just as here) is on the horizon. Yet the opportunity to drive the 2013 Highlander back-to-back with its newer competitors provides evidence of the way this segment has evolved.

The most notable shift is in size. The Highlander finds itself on the small end of this group, more like a mid-size crossover with bonus seats in back than a dedicated three-row vehicle. (It's still a bit bigger than other 'tweeners like the three-row Kia Sorento and Mitsubishi Outlander.) Toyota makes up some ground with smart packaging. The second-row center seat, for instance, folds neatly into the front center armrest. Still, the Highlander's third row seats were more cramped than those of any other vehicle in this group.

No Offense
The 2013 Highlander also betrays its age with its austere styling. There's nothing offensive about the Highlander's sheetmetal, but neither is there anything interesting. The interior proves versatile when it comes to utility, but it's trimmed throughout with rental-car plastics, which is noticeable in a vehicle priced at $41,855. "Toyota needs to get its act together in terms of interior quality," notes road test editor Christopher Nelson. That said, some appreciated the Highlander's minimalism. "I like the slim A-pillars, the shallow dash, and the ability to sense the front of the vehicle," says deputy editor Joe DeMatio.

The Highlander's hallmark remains its hassle-free driving experience. Although all the crossovers we tested drive like cars, the 2013 Highlander convinces you it really is a car. Credit the Camry-derived underpinnings and a silky smooth, 270-hp V-6 that gets 17 mpg city/22 mpg highway. Mind you, we're not talking about a very interesting or sporty car. The 4464-pound Highlander features the same flaccid steering and soupy handling that knocked the Camry out of contention in our recent comparison test of mid-size cars. There are, no doubt, plenty of buyers who desire an effortless, isolated driving experience, but they don't read Automobile Magazine.

Some Respect, Please
Even if we don't love the 2013 Toyota Highlander, we left this test with a healthy respect for it. "As old as this crossover is, it's still quite good," concludes DeMatio. Yet among this group of new and recently updated models, that's not quite good enough. An all-new, significantly larger Toyota Highlander debuts later this year. If it can build on the strengths of the outgoing car, Toyota should again have a formidable contender. For now it will have to settle for an honorable first-round exit. - David Zenlea

When summer arrives, America hits the road. There's something about this country that calls out to all of us, so we yearn to go and see for ourselves. Sometimes it's Yellowstone National Park in the Rocky Mountains and sometimes it's the World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas, and as Americans we embrace both with cheerful enthusiasm. When the weather turns warm, we're all about the road map, the road trip, and road food.

Best of all, it's no longer necessary to drive Clark Griswold's infamous Wagon Queen Family Truckster to get there, as in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983). Instead we have the three-row family crossover, a miracle of packaging efficiency, thoughtful convenience, and comfortable transportation.

It's not fashionable among car people to pay tribute to the crossover, but we're smart enough to understand that Americans have figured out what you need to cross the wide-open spaces of this country on all kinds of roads and in all kinds of weather. It turns out that an all-wheel-drive utility vehicle with the easy-going personality of a family sedan is exactly what you want.

Crossovers, Automobile-style
We began with the full range of family-style crossovers, which we define as mid-size vehicles intended primarily for passenger use but also capable of weekend adventure. That includes the ability to pack a useful amount of stuff and perhaps do some light-duty towing as well.

We have chosen eight finalists that represent the best aspects of the category, whether it's packaging efficiency or simple drivability. By choosing one of them as the best, we hope not only to define the current state of the American family crossover but also the character that the people who read Automobile want in a practical, everyday kind of family vehicle.

We have specified the ability to carry three rows of passengers, and while we acknowledge that for most people this feature is useful only a limited number of times each year, it's always a consideration in the buying process. We have specified all-wheel drive because it snows in the mountains, rains in the woods, and can be muddy almost anywhere. Our selection of vehicles also includes only what is on sale today, since people are buying what's on sale today, not next fall.

Crossovers, Bracket-style
We can't pretend to be the average buyer because, well, that would be impossible. Just like you, we are who we are. If you want complete objectivity unconfused by education, enthusiasm, experience, and just plain good taste, well, good luck to you.

Also, we've again based our test on bracket-style, head-to-head comparisons between vehicles, just as we did with our comparison of mid-size sedans. We're not going to dumb down the comparison process into some kind of SAT test, where like geeks we carefully add up the points scored in a thousand little categories of performance. When you do that, you reward broad-based mediocrity, not excellence. And at Automobile, we're all about excellence.

The question of choice is personal and powerful, and we think that a one-to-one confrontation between vehicles reveals character in a way that giant test groups do not.

The Clark Griswold Factor
Every family must have a place to go, and our destination was the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan. Every May, 500,000 people make the drive to this eight-day celebration, which began in 1929 with a suggestion by a local schoolteacher to beautify this town on the shore of Lake Michigan by planting tulips in honor of the original Dutch settlers. Some 6 million tulips bloom in town each spring.

There are three parades, professional entertainment, fireworks, and dancers in wooden shoes (wear six to eight pair of socks before you try it). We stayed in the Euro-style CityFlats Hotel, looked at tulips, ate the heavy Dutch food, saw Big Red (the lighthouse at the harbor's entrance), and drove by the eighteenth-century Dutch windmill. Sadly, we missed the wooden shoe factory and the place where they do Delft dinnerware. The locals are so nice that they even shut down part of Kollen Park to let us take souvenir pictures. It was great.

Best of all, we made it a road trip. We set our own schedule, played our own music, found our own roads, and leaned out the windows and barked at the cows if we wanted to. We stopped for lunch at Bell's Brewery Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo (perfect for us, eh?). In addition, there were no airports involved at any point during our adventure, which is always a blessing.

The Road Map
Just like any road trip, it will take a while before you reach your destination.

Tomorrow and the next day, there will be head-to-head comparisons between the vehicles, with four vehicles involved each day. The day after that we'll sum up some of what we've learned during our tests, which include a rodeo-style timed test of third-seat stowage and a very messy lunch at our local Sonic drive-in. The last day, we'll stage the final head-to-head comparison and determine the winner.

You might want to start preparing the plans for your own summer vacation right now.

The Chevrolet Traverse emerged from the darkness of General Motors's bankruptcy in 2009, shining forth the bright beams of a fresh, innovative product with seating for eight. Unlike its competitors, this crossover had never posed as a truck, although it boasted some impressive and very trucklike capabilities. Its sleek shape made the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer look like barns on wheels. (The redesigned 2012 Explorer looks like a barn designed by Antoni Gaudi on wheels.) A hit for Chevy, the Traverse has sold briskly, and no one has seemed to miss the old TrailBlazer.

Earlier this year at the New York Auto Show, the facelifted 2013 Traverse was revealed, and it looked promising. When we finally drove it the other day, we found an even more desirable super-station wagon. In refreshing the Traverse, according to chief engineer Sue Eckel, the "basic premise" was to "tweak what's working well and make big changes where needed." So improving the styling inside and out was the foremost task. If you've looked at a Traverse lately -- they're so ubiquitous as to be almost invisible -- you may have seen that the propitious form is hardly amplified by the dowdy trim. The '13 model, which goes into production later this year, fixes that.

Despite the revisions, the powertrain remains unchanged, which means the splendid direct-injection 3.6-liter V-6 keeps on producing 281 hp in LS and LT versions with a single exhaust and 288 hp in the LTZ with dual exhausts. Correspondingly, torque is 266/270 lb-ft. Because the Traverse weighs nearly two and a half tons, it never threatens to lift off the pavement and take flight, but on the other hand it has adequate power and reasonable throttle response. The six-speed automatic shifts smoothly enough, although in our front-drive LT we caught it hesitating in traffic when we lifted off the throttle but soon stepped into it again. Eckel reminded us that a wave of Russian, Mexican, and Canadian journalists had already come through on the media launch, and from them, this vehicle may have learned kick dancing and hat dancing, if not ice skating; were I to stay behind the wheel, the transmission, with the latest-generation electronic controls, would adapt.

Thoroughly nice, and safer, too

Meanwhile, the makeover is most evident from the driver's seat. Jason Coffer, lead interior designer, said the objective was to eliminate the awkward intersections of seams on the dashboard and to raise the level of perceived quality -- and in this, he and his team have succeeded. Among other changes, the dash is covered with simulated pebbled leather that includes exposed stitching. Making a big improvement over the previous plates of plain black plastic, the center stack and console are trimmed with fake wood. A bright bezel surrounds the entire instrument cluster, and the bow-tie emblem on the steering wheel pad is displayed alone instead of being on a round, indented background. The climate controls are revised, so the Traverse offers blessed, round knobs rather than the former touchplates. The 6.5-inch touchscreen presents MyLink infotainment with a couple of configurable home screens. Front seats have headrests that adjust four ways for comfort, and the passenger seat has leather trim and eight-way power adjustment. The interior is commendably quiet, which means front-row occupants don't have to turn around and shout at the third-row; normal tones are possible, even if they get no results. Turning around will, however, reveal the elegantly tapering roofline. It's easy to admire how well-done this big vehicle is.

An industry-first safety feature

Safety being the number-one consideration for shoppers in the large-crossover category, a new feature is the industry-first "front-center side airbag," which is to say an airbag that deploys near the driver's right elbow and keeps the front passenger from knocking into the driver. Assistance features include the blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert, now standard on the LTZ, and a rearview camera that's standard across the line.

The Traverse's exterior is much smarter, and that starts with the winking headlamps. The deeper two-part grill wears horizontal slats with bright trim, which is found in greater abundance all over the body. The boldly sculpted fascia represents a big improvement over the old piece. Along the vehicle's sides, we found bright window trim and a body-colored rub strip. A reshaped liftgate and tail lamps improve the rear.

Minor tweaks to the suspension complete the revisions, which result in a smooth-riding, pleasant-to-drive crossover that never feels huge at 203.7 inches long. From the comfortable driver's seat, it's no more difficult to place the Traverse in its lane or point it into a turn than it is to drop an envelope into a mail slot. After the superb re-styling and other upgrades, we don't hesitate to call it a winner and won't be surprised if this excellent vehicle, eyes glinting afresh, helps itself to an even greater share of the large crossover segment.

New For 2013

The Traverse gets an exterior refresh and debuts the new face of Chevy crossovers. It’s not groundbreaking, but the new look is handsome, if a bit bland. Inside, changes include a revised center stack, fully adjustable headrests, an eight-way passenger seat, upgraded materials, and chrome accents. The Traverse gets an industry-first front center air bag designed to protection front occupants during a side collision.

Overview

In size and capability, the Traverse bridges the gap between the Tahoe and the Equinox. It has a standard split-folding third row—only suitable for children or small adults—and, when fitted with the second-row bench, can seat up to eight people. In terms of capability, it can’t tow as much as larger body-on-frame SUVs like the Tahoe or the Suburban, but for most people, the more-fuel-efficient Traverse is the better bet. It is available with the same amenities as those big SUVs, such as a power liftgate, a rearview camera, a Bose stereo, and navigation, plus it can be similarly dressed up with optional eighteen- or twenty-inch wheels or chrome dual-exhaust pipes. The dual exhaust has the added benefit of increasing the output of the 3.6-liter V-6 to 288 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. The Traverse’s cabin has the same dual-cockpit layout as in the smaller Equinox, with a sweeping dash, rich color choices, and cool blue accent lighting. Its siblings, the GMC Acadia and the Buick Enclave, are trimmed in nicer materials and have more stylized exteriors, but the Traverse undercuts the prices of those vehicles by thousands of dollars with comparable standard equipment. Even when compared with fresher competitors such as the Ford Explorer or the Honda Pilot, the Traverse holds up well in terms of style, quality, and value.

Safety

Front, front center, side, and side curtain air bags are standard, as are ABS, traction and stability control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. OnStar is standard and alerts first responders when a crash occurs. A backup camera and front and rear parking sensors are optional.

You'll like:

Exterior has been refreshed

Third-row seat

Excellent alternative to big, truck-based SUVs

You won't like:

Anonymous styling, despite face-lift

Key Competitors For The 2013 Chevrolet Traverse

Ford Explorer

GMC Acadia

Honda Pilot

Mazda CX-9

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Sound & Entertainment

Warranty

Recalls

Recall Date

12-31-1969:21:35:40

Component

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Summary

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.

Consequences

Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.

Potential Units Affected

1,176,407

Notes

General Motors LLC

Recall Date

12-31-1969:21:35:40

Component

SEAT BELTS

Summary

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.

Consequences

If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.

Remedy

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.